June 2018

As a land-grant university, the University of Idaho makes significant contributions to the state, region and nation, and I am proud to support and celebrate our strong research enterprise. Our research, scholarship and creative activities also cross international boundaries and involve amazing interactions between people from multiple nations.

In 2017 alone, nearly 320 students went abroad for study, research and internships; and more than 40 faculty members engaged in teaching and research overseas during that same year.

Faculty members Crystal Kolden (CNR) and John Abatzoglou in the College of Science are heading “Down Under” on sabbaticals to Australia, where they will work with University of Tasmania professor David Bowman, one of the world’s top fire ecologists, to study how wildfires become disasters and the factors contributing to their recent increases in severity.

There are many, many more ongoing international collaborations, and we are just beginning to scratch the surface of our potential to participate in global efforts to advance knowledge and economic opportunities.

To better understand our growing portfolio of international research and activities, the Office of Research and Economic Development, with the help of Faculty Fellow Scott Slovic, is launching an effort to gather information about “international research” currently taking place at (or in association with) the University of Idaho.

We are interested in understanding the broad landscape of how our faculty, staff and students interact on a global scale, including presentations at international conferences or academic institutions; field research or work in overseas laboratories or archives; international exhibitions; sponsored research through international agencies; support from programs (such as Fulbright) to conduct research overseas; publications in international journals; and projects involving international collaborators, whether at our campus, the collaborator’s home, or through “virtual” collaborations.

Please join me in fostering and celebrating productive international efforts that expand our thriving research enterprise in this increasingly interconnected world.

Go Vandals!

Janet E. Nelson
Vice President
Research and Economic Development

Janet E. Nelson, VP of the Office of Research and Economic Development

Janet E. Nelson, VP of the Office of Research and Economic Development